The Weight Of The World
by BadWolfKaily
Summary: What happens when the burden is too much? Can Sheppard help Elizabeth in her time of need?


Doctor Weir stood in the same spot she always stood when watching over everyone. Waiting for Shepard and his team to come back, back home. Growing tired yet never unwavering, though the insistent never ending doubting voices came to mind. Could she walk this path alone? Could she keep so many who put their trust, their lives on her shoulders safe? These constant doubts always prodded her, a civilian, did she have the skill, the means? Then came the numb sculling pain, taking over her thoughts like a migraine. Sighing and leaning upon the railing for support. Closing her eye's and trying to bring peace to the newly formed chaos inside of her. Soft whimpers and tormenting screams faded slowly. And in an instant she recognized Grodin's voice,"Ma'am, Major Sheppard and his team are back."

Nodding in nausea,"Alright," without a thought she quickly retreated away. Ignoring every person who wished to report to her the status of Atlantis and its people. The many things she must've been ready to endure and understand. Where to go from all this burden, she made her way to the very spot where she could sort through her thoughts. Stepping out into the Atlantian air, it his her like a breath of fresh air. Letting the breeze surround and consume her she rested her hands upon the cold metal railing. Taking a deep breath just to see if she could keep it together, but as weak as she was, on constant watch never leaving her post. Waiting for her people to return to her.

She never gave up, but now, now she felt she needed to. Bringing her forehead down upon the cool railing, and weakly letting her chest melt into her knees she sunk to the ground and let herself cry. Letting every worry and burden fall upon her. So she could let it pass and she could rebuild the strength she needed once again. So these raging compromising thoughts and voices blasted through her mind. And when the time came, hours later, when the voices calmed away and she remembered herself she slowly stood. Catching herself upon that helpful railing, She looked at the now starry sky and let the last tear fall. "Here you are!" came Sheppard's worried voice,"You weren't in your usual outside thinking spot. Grodin said you disappeared after we came back. What's wrong?'

"What makes you think something is wrong?" she quickly wiped away that final tear and with a sniffle put on a fake smile and turned around.

"Well, for one you don't usually go halfway across Atlantis into the barely explored parts of Atlantis nonetheless.

"I'm fine, John, just a bit tired," she turned away so he couldn't read the lies all over her face.

"Yeah, I don't thin that's the big problem here. Grodin said you never left your spot after we left. Thirty-eight hours ago, and you never spoke a word...What's going through that head of yours Elizabeth?" he prodded her with his gaze that she could feel prodding into the back of her head.

Feeling her newly formed shield begin to waver,"Too much, John, too much," she had a look of unmatched pain on her face.

Trying to cover up her emotions that she didn't need. What she needed was to be strong for Atlantis." You know you don't have to take this all on by yourself, nobody said you had to take on such a burden."

"No, I took on this burden the moment I said yes to leading these people here," she grew stern.

"Yes, but you don't have to all the time. There are others who can help you. You don't have to worry about taking this all on," he moved towards her so he could see her face.

"Well, John, I can't! It's my burden alone and I have to carry it myself!" and with tears in her eyes she turned to him, in weakened rage.

Grabbing her by the shoulders he looked her in the eyes,"You will never have to do this alone...and I will make sure of that. I will always be there for you no matter what!" and in a second of silence he felt her arms around him with her head buried in his chest.

He unhesitatingly embraced her back placing a hand to brush against her hair. He could feel her tears seep through his shirt,"Thank you, John," she murmured.

"For what?" he studied her face as she took all her courage to look up at him with tears streaked on her face.

"For being there for me," she lightly blushed and looked away.

"Always," he had to in that moment show her that he would, so he brought her mouth to his and made sure his message got through to her.

And as if in that moment all those voices that burdened her, that threatened to return all faded and ceased to be. And with this new calm she let the exhaustion come as she pulled away and fell against his chest into that long awaited sleep. With her hand clenched to his shirt and drying tears upon it he lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the transporter she had neglected to use earlier. He then carried her back to her quarters, the one fit for the queen of Atlantis. Lying her down upon the bed she made like a soldier would, he gently removed her hand from his shirt, though never away from his heart.

He pulled a blanket up upon her and then studied her carefully, as if what should he do now, should he leave her like this? He kneeled down beside her bed and kissed her forehead just to make sure all worries were swept away for good with that kiss. Then standing he turned to leave, yet stopped abruptly at the sound of her voice. The one she forced herself out of the deepness of sleep to use,"John?" and with closed eye's fading back into that sleep,"Please don't leave me alone."

He turned to look at her and paced his way back to her bedside and laid right beside her wrapping his arms around just to pull her close. To make her feel whole again. So she no longer needed that railing for support, because for now he would be that support.


End file.
